Lemaire said there is a chance Rolston could play in Pittsburgh Thursday night.

Center Dainius Zubrus did not take part in the morning skate but said he will play.

"It's nothing. It's just three games in four nights," Zubrus said about taking the morning off. "I kind of said maybe I can use a little rest. Just maintenance. I asked the trainer if I could work on something."

Rookie defenseman Matthew Corrente will have to wait for his NHL debut. He will not play against the Ducks.

"I'm very excited to be up here," Corrente said. "We'll see what happens."

Coach Jacques Lemaire said of the recall: "Just in case because we have three games in four nights. Two back-to-back. You don't know what's going to happen and we don't want to take any chances if you get a guy sick."

"The drive up I was pretty anxious. I'm feeling good now," Corrente said. "It's not like I was expecting this or waiting for it. I go to the rink every day to work hard, trying to get better. This is my goal, my dream. I'm glad got the opportunity right now."

The Devils did not have the services of Rolston, Rob Niedermayer (upper body), Johnny Oduya (lower body), Paul Martin (fractured left forearm) and Jay Pandolfo (dislocated right shoulder). Lemaire said the long injury list has been frustrating.

"Especially when you get with a new team and you work so everyone knows and does everything you want. And you get to a point where you feel it's coming and it's getting better. And then you get injuries," Lemaire said. "Or you get guys coming back who missed a lot of what you are talking about. How to play and what we expect. You have to re-do it again.

"In a way it is frustrating. It's part of the game. I look at the league. Everyone has their problems with injuries. Some do have more but you have to live with it."

Why have the Devils survived so well?

"The reason, I guess, is the guys that play and come into the lineup do a little more than we expect. It gives a team a chance to get wins," he said.

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Asked about Corrente, Lemaire said:

"He's an aggressive type of player. He's not that offensive type of defenseman, but in his own zone he's good. You can rely on him. He plays aggressive and he can bang."

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Devils coaches Lemaire and Mario Tremblay are more familiar with the Ducks than the Devils players because they come from the Wild in Western Conference.

"I was asking the (other) coaches how much they know about them. And they don't know much," Lemaire pointed out. "We know because we played them so often and they beat us in the playoffs and they won the Cup. We know them."